Ohio high court shields full autopsy reports in Pike County slayings

As investigators continue searching for the person or persons who shot and killed eight family members in Pike County on Friday, members of the Rhoden family now begin the difficult task of burying their loved ones.

The case before the court involved seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family who were found shot to death at four homes near Piketon, in rural southern Ohio, on April 22, 2016.

Heavily redacted versions of the autopsy reports released last year showed all but one of the victims were shot multiple times in the head, but details about any other injuries and toxicology test results weren't released.

The Columbus Dispatch and The Cincinnati Enquirer separately sued for access to the full final autopsies. The Ohio Attorney General's Office, which is leading the investigation, sought to shield the information, arguing that its release could compromise the investigation.

Messages were left for the newspapers' attorney and for the Attorney General.

Pike County Coroner David Kessler has also noted the victims' relatives raised concerns about sharing details of their loved ones' deaths.

The newspapers argue there is no evidence the full reports contain confidential information provided by law enforcement authorities, nor any evidence the autopsies were prepared with input from investigators.

The redacted reports show most victims were shot multiple times. Forty-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr. was shot in the head, upper body and torso, according to the redacted autopsy.